Laugh-out-loud humor, brilliant concept, beautiful Burton-esque set/costumes/lighting ... yet Shakespeare in the Park's recent production of Into the Woods fell short. In general, the overly physical, over-the-top acting that nearly exhausted the audience only accentuated the characters' lack of presence on stage. It seemed as though the actors were trying wa
y, way too hard, but their characterizations were problematic to begin with, and these problems were only disguised by inappropriate waving of the arms and running around stage ... like a bland dish at a restaurant disguised by over-the-top garnishes. How the director and characters dealt with the plot seemed to bring up a similiar problem. All of the subtleties that make ITW so deliciously intelligent are gone, as actors consistently hit audience members over the head with every inch of what was happening. During "Hello, Little Girl," which is supposed to merely hint at something sexual, the Wolf practically rapes Little Red on stage, and at the start of "Moments in the Woods," the Prince is exaggeratedly zipping up his pants. A typical audience member would get the subtleties in the writing itself ... there is no need to clarify each and every innuendo. The overblown acting styles and plot dealings contributed to the ridiculously excessive qualities of the show, which only made the audience feel both exhausted and treated like a 17-year-old watching Blues Clues.
Now for the actors themselves. The Baker, who is supposed to be one of the strongest characters in the show, was nearly the opposite. O'Hare's strange interpretation of the character, giving him a speech impediment and an almost mentally challenged quality, drastically belittled his character into something that is completely inconsistent with the way Sondheim and Lapine laid him out to be. This failed characterization gave Amy Adams (Baker's Wife) almost nothing to work with on stage, and her acting choices were remarkably bland and uninteresting. They, in turn, had no chemistry whatsoever. Donna Murphy (Witch) was fine at times, but as stated above, sometimes there was absolutely no root to or reason for her exaggerated, overly physical acting style. This can be said for Jack, his Mother, the Stepsisters, and countless others. Murphy's singing, at times inconsistent and flat, was overall actually impressive ... Last Midnight was the clear showstopper of this production, and Murphy did nothing but shine and leave all of her voice troubles behind her. The undoubted stars of the show, however, were the ever-listening children. Little Red's surface transformation from innocent grandma's-girl to macho tomboy was played brilliantly by her respective actress Sarah Stiles, who wasn't quick to rid of the pre-Wolf Little Red's fear and uncertainty. The speaking voice she gave Little Red was absolutely fitting and at times breathlessly hilarious, and her laugh was oh so contagious. "Hello, Little Girl," although over-the-top, was the first showstopper of the first act, and Little Red contributed to this success in a big way.
Another child saved the show as well, but in an unlikely character: The Narrator. In this production, the Narrator is actually a young boy who has run away from home hoping to find comfort and happily-ever-after in the Woods ... a place described by his father over and over again in the reading of fairy tales and stories. The absolutely BRILLIANT plot twist at the end reveals that the boy's father is none other than the Baker himself, and the Narrator is the very child that was born of the Baker's Wife ... a plot transformation that leaves you wondering why it wasn't incorporated into the original show in the first place. Noah Radcliffe (the understudy of the role) was heartwarming and cry-your-eyes-out cute. His acting choices proved more intelligible and brilliant than the other much more experienced performers. His heartfelt moment with his father at the end of the show quickly evaporated all of the flaws and flubs of this production and gave a new light to Murphy's final number: "Children Will Listen".
Even a flawed production doesn't detract from the absolute mastery of Sondheim's Into The Woods. Finally seeing a live staged production of this incredibly magical show for the first time, I can say with confidence that there will never be anything quite like the dream team of musical theatre: Stephen Sondheim and James Lapine.
Now for the actors themselves. The Baker, who is supposed to be one of the strongest characters in the show, was nearly the opposite. O'Hare's strange interpretation of the character, giving him a speech impediment and an almost mentally challenged quality, drastically belittled his character into something that is completely inconsistent with the way Sondheim and Lapine laid him out to be. This failed characterization gave Amy Adams (Baker's Wife) almost nothing to work with on stage, and her acting choices were remarkably bland and uninteresting. They, in turn, had no chemistry whatsoever. Donna Murphy (Witch) was fine at times, but as stated above, sometimes there was absolutely no root to or reason for her exaggerated, overly physical acting style. This can be said for Jack, his Mother, the Stepsisters, and countless others. Murphy's singing, at times inconsistent and flat, was overall actually impressive ... Last Midnight was the clear showstopper of this production, and Murphy did nothing but shine and leave all of her voice troubles behind her. The undoubted stars of the show, however, were the ever-listening children. Little Red's surface transformation from innocent grandma's-girl to macho tomboy was played brilliantly by her respective actress Sarah Stiles, who wasn't quick to rid of the pre-Wolf Little Red's fear and uncertainty. The speaking voice she gave Little Red was absolutely fitting and at times breathlessly hilarious, and her laugh was oh so contagious. "Hello, Little Girl," although over-the-top, was the first showstopper of the first act, and Little Red contributed to this success in a big way.
Another child saved the show as well, but in an unlikely character: The Narrator. In this production, the Narrator is actually a young boy who has run away from home hoping to find comfort and happily-ever-after in the Woods ... a place described by his father over and over again in the reading of fairy tales and stories. The absolutely BRILLIANT plot twist at the end reveals that the boy's father is none other than the Baker himself, and the Narrator is the very child that was born of the Baker's Wife ... a plot transformation that leaves you wondering why it wasn't incorporated into the original show in the first place. Noah Radcliffe (the understudy of the role) was heartwarming and cry-your-eyes-out cute. His acting choices proved more intelligible and brilliant than the other much more experienced performers. His heartfelt moment with his father at the end of the show quickly evaporated all of the flaws and flubs of this production and gave a new light to Murphy's final number: "Children Will Listen".
Even a flawed production doesn't detract from the absolute mastery of Sondheim's Into The Woods. Finally seeing a live staged production of this incredibly magical show for the first time, I can say with confidence that there will never be anything quite like the dream team of musical theatre: Stephen Sondheim and James Lapine.
